The Mark of a Beta

fifteen

Sorry this chapter is late today. It's technically Sunday, BUT I was actually being social today which is new for me lol. 

Lots of love xx

~

"Cooper?" The voice says. He's right next to me, and he hesitantly puts a hand on my shoulder. My vision is blurry from my lack of contact lenses and my tears, but I'll always be able to recognize him.

"Larry?" I croak out. I couldn't tell you why Larry, my history professor, is outside of The Lunar Mart at 10:02 PM on a Sunday night, but all I can think is that I'm fucking grateful. As much as I need my mate and my friends, having another adult here with me just relieves me in an entirely different way.

"Cooper, did something happen? What are you doing here with these bags?" Larry places another hand on my other shoulder, and it's only now that I notice that he has a plastic bag with what seems to be three pints of different flavored ice creams. The bag is lying on the floor now, forgotten, as Larry leans down to my spot on the pavement.

I open my mouth to speak, to explain to him why I look like a fucking mess and why I have my shit packed, but a sob comes out instead. The next thing I know, I'm holding onto Larry for dear life as I think about how shitty things have gotten in the last few hours. Everything was going great- I was with my amazing mate, I wasn't homeless, and I actually took the time to think about my future.

Axel seemed all for me becoming a pack doctor. He didn't tell me the idea was stupid or unrealistic or not good enough. He didn't really say much as I droned on and on about it, but I could just tell that he wanted me to do what made me happy.

Now, that memory is distant, and the only things repeating in my mind are the insults and the feeling of my connection with my mother snapping entirely.

"It's alright. Whatever it is, we can fix it," Larry tries to comfort me. He is hugging me back in the way only a trusted adult can. He's been more of a parent to me than my own. He eats lunch with me and drones on about how I should call him Mr. Patel, and he tells me the teacher's gossip occasionally.

The fact that he's telling me it's all going to be okay actually makes me cry more, though. Because I know everything has gone to shit and that if I tell Axel what's happened, my family will die and I'll be forced to leave Lunar Pack as well as all of my friends- and Larry.

There is no solution.

"Um, shit. Do you need me to call your parents?" Larry asks as he pats my back awkwardly.

I cry harder.

"Okay, we won't do that. Um, I'm not quite sure what to do. I don't have kids..." Larry's utter confusion on how to deal with a crying teenager actually makes me feel a little better. I begin laughing through my sobs, and I let go of Larry to wipe my eyes and sniffle more.

"Sorry, Larry," I speak to the floor. The pavement is kind of dirty, but I can't convince myself to care. I look at the plastic bag next to him, and I can't make out the flavors of the ice cream because I can't fucking read without my contacts, but the ice cream has been sitting out for a little while.

"Your ice cream's melting," I remind him.

"I don't care about the ice cream. Can you tell me what happened? Without crying," Larry asks, clearly terrified that I'm going to break down again. I think I'm safe from another mental breakdown for a little while. I got all of my tears out for now, but I know I'm going to be devastated later.

So, I tell Larry everything. He's the first person I've told about Axel and my parents, so Larry should feel fucking honored. Larry's expression goes from shocked to confused to frustrated to angry until he just looks... sad.